1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to volumetric portioning devices and, more particularly, to an apparatus for portioning fluidic material such as foodstuffs and the like into rations of predetermined size.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to provide a measuring cylinder having an inlet valve and an outlet valve which are alternately operated with the goal of regulating the flow of foodstuffs and the like through the cylinder in order to divide the material into equally sized portions which may then be delivered to a packaging station downstream of the cylinder. However, numerous drawbacks exist in the known construction which result in the device being difficult to clean and expensive to build and operate.
For example, in the known construction, because a separate valve is provided at the inlet and outlet of the measuring cylinder, timing of the opening and closing operations carried out with each of the valves must be precisely coordinated in order to avoid improper feeding of material into and out of the cylinder. In addition, the use of two valves represents a duplication of parts which increases the cost and complexity of the cylinder device as well as the opportunity for malfunctions.
Another disadvantage in the known construction, which also arises from the use of numerous elements, is that when the device is broken down for cleaning, many of the elements are loose, i.e. separated from the frame of the device. Such a construction increases the risk of elements being lost or broken.